 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: janlynn
Date: 2012-03-27 11:46
My teacher asked me an interesting question the other day.
She knows I want to be a clarinet teacher and when I asked her for a reference letter, she asked me what my goals were as a teacher. Obviously, to teach music...but - There is a lot more a child learns than just music. Yet I couldnt articulate it.
I was wondering if anyone would share with me their teaching philosophies. NOT so I can use it - but to give me an idea what it looks like in words.
Thanks, Jan
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Author: JHowell
Date: 2012-03-27 12:30
My goal as a teacher is for students to experience music as a language. I believe that the mixture of thought, reaction, and physical coordination required to play any musical instrument well can improve brain development in ways that extend far beyond music, and I believe that the discipline and drive to excel necessary to become an advanced player can improve character. There is plenty of research out there to support the first point.
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Author: JonTheReeds
Date: 2012-03-27 14:09
If you want to read a bit about the benefits of music (aside from becoming better at playing music) have a look at this
http://www.thefms.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/fms-impact-evaluation-one-page-version.pdf
--------------------------------------
The older I get, the better I was
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Author: grenadilla428
Date: 2012-03-27 15:50
You might ask your teacher to clarify, but the phrase "what your goals were as a teacher" makes me think that what she's asking is, "You want to be a clarinet teacher... what does that look like to you?" She asking you to consider what picture you have in your mind of your career. What do you expect of it?
Props to your teacher - she is being careful about how she turns out a potential educator.
As for advice, take a good look at all the teachers you see throughout the week (and not just your music teachers). What do they deal with? How do they deliver material? What do you like about they way they teach? What would you want to adopt into your teaching? What would you not want? You're already well acquainted with them from the student perspective, now watch from the "I might be doing this" perspective.
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2012-03-27 17:05
I believe your teacher kind of asked you a trick question. Each student that you take on has different issues to tackle. For example, sound, sight reading, tonguing, fast fingers, playing in tune, the correct MP for the student, the correct horn as the student advances, the correct books to use, high notes, the list is really unlimited; I think you get the idea that there really isn't a method or a book for everyone.
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Author: janlynn
Date: 2012-03-27 17:19
Bob - in other words - my method would be - lessons are geared to individual needs, skills and capabilities.
grenadilla - I am 45 years old. havent seen a teacher in years except my clarinet teacher....who ive been with for 5 years.
I currently have one student who I love teaching. I took her on for free to gain experience. Not only am I teaching her music, but responsibility and time management. Each lesson there is a math lesson learned as well as reading and vocabulary.
I just didnt know how to sum that up into - my teaching goals. I'm still not sure. I just know I give the student music skills plus....I become a mentor in a way.
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Author: kdk
Date: 2012-03-27 17:27
A philosophy isn't something you just decide on. A true philosophy evolves. What your teacher may be more interested in is what you want to accomplish as a clarinet teacher, as a music teacher and ultimately as a teacher. Whom do you want to teach? What do you want to see your students accomplish as clarinetists, as musicians and, to the extent you can influence it, as people?
Part of the reason for her question may be that she knows from experience that you can't teach without some direction in mind, some plan that dictates what you do as teacher year by year and lesson by lesson.
Another part pay be that when she writes a recommendation, she wants to feel that your goals and interests are a good match for whomever she's recommending you to.
I'm quite sure that a fairly firm philosophical foundation informs what I do as teacher - I could give you snippets of it off the top of my head, but to write it down in a concise or coherent way would be a major project that would take considerable thought. A great deal of what I do is actually less related to what *I* want my students to accomplish than it is to how I can help them achieve what *they* want to accomplish. I don't think I could have articulated a philosophy that could accommodate all of this when I began teaching 45 years ago. It would be difficult enough now, decades later.
Karl
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Author: janlynn
Date: 2012-03-27 18:16
yes - maybe i'm getting the 2 ideas mixed up.
"What your teacher may be more interested in is what you want to accomplish as a clarinet teacher, as a music teacher and ultimately as a teacher. Whom do you want to teach? What do you want to see your students accomplish as clarinetists, as musicians and, to the extent you can influence it, as people?"
i this IS more what she was looking for....
i'm the one who used the word philosophy (not her) so I guess maybe I didnt really quite understand the question.
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2012-03-27 19:04
I think you can incorporate all of these above posts. It shows that you've put some thought into this subject.
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Author: FDF
Date: 2012-03-28 21:46
Your teacher probably wants to incorporate your goals as a teacher into her recommendation. Your thoughts must be yours for the best introduction of you as an individual. Put aside others' goals. The answer is solely within you.
Good luck, I'm sure you will be an excellent teacher.
Forest
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Author: Arnoldstang
Date: 2012-03-30 17:32
Jan, What level of performer are you? Early in my career I got in over my head when I took on a student that was more experienced than I thought.
Freelance woodwind performer
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Author: janlynn
Date: 2012-03-30 19:55
I'm not the best "performance clarinetist" but ive been playing for 30 years - have had private lessons the last 5, have played in a wind symphony for 13 yrs and a clarinet ensemble for 4.I'm at about an early college level.
I have taught an adult beginner - 10+ years ago
2 children beginners - 10+ years ago
1 intermediate student - 10+ years ago
1 beginner - the past 3 months
I only wish to work with beginners - intermediate at this point. I dont plan to make a full time career of it - but its my passion. I love teaching privately and right now I have 1 student and would love to have a few more!
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Author: Buster
Date: 2012-03-30 20:07
Though we are dealing a bit with semantics here....
Goals:
1. Guide a student on the path to discovering what can/cannot (not must) constitute a coherent musical statement. (Or the terms often used that I abhor: "musicality" or "playing musically."
2. Demonstrate all the components that combine to form "correct" clarinet "playing" and develop a tailored approach for each student to develop the needed skills: or "pure technique." (Generically speaking, I suppose my aim should be to have the student become a better technician than I am.)
Philosophy:
*Teach in a manner than combines those goals into one path.
At the end of the day they are truly dependent upon each-other, and in my mind, ultimately one and the same. -Preserve the art-form, not the clarinet.
I suppose if my feet were held to the fire I could write down a "syllabus of study" I may use, but my approach with each student differs as much as each of their individual personalities do.
-Jason
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Author: FDF
Date: 2012-03-30 22:42
janlynn said,
"I'm not the best "performance clarinetist" but ive been playing for 30 years - have had private lessons the last 5, have played in a wind symphony for 13 yrs and a clarinet ensemble for 4.I'm at about an early college level.
I have taught an adult beginner - 10+ years ago
2 children beginners - 10+ years ago
1 intermediate student - 10+ years ago
1 beginner - the past 3 months
I only wish to work with beginners - intermediate at this point. I dont plan to make a full time career of it - but its my passion. I love teaching privately and right now I have 1 student and would love to have a few more!"
You just wrote your best resume!
Forest
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Author: bethmhil
Date: 2012-03-30 23:15
Just to say...
Teaching has not always been my true "calling", and the process of satisfying rigorous teaching requirements for a degree I may or may not use has been bothering me for a long while. As I have gained more teaching experience, my view towards teaching and my own ability to teach improves. But, the question is still there: Why is it that I want to teach? Is it just about the clarinet, or is it more?
This post and all the insightful replies have answered that for me.
Thank you.
BMH
Illinois State University, BME and BM Performance
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Author: MichelleAnderson
Date: 2012-03-31 22:42
Any great teacher becomes a mentor in our lives. A good clarinet teacher will have a solid grasp on explaining the basic physical concepts of the instrument easily and clearly. There are many tricks to making things much easier for people (that usually involve correcting bad habits, or better yet, teaching them good habits right from the start if you are fortunate enough to have them as a total beginner). A great teacher will also instill a real spirit of creativity and enthusiasm into the process. If you cannot teach your students to “find their own core sound” and play every piece expressively, they are missing one of the great joys of performance. Teaching students how to be expressive involves some physical mastery of the instrument, but also helping them to develop a strong sense of the “musical message” that they want to convey in every piece of music. Much of music performance, and mastery of the instrument involves the psychology of learning and performing. A good teacher will help students to create an effective mindset towards efficient practise techniques and transforming their negative fears & self-doubts into more positive messages.
Really, a good music teacher is a like a sports coach (helping people to master physical skills), a motivational psychologist (helping people to master their performance anxieties), an inspiring mentor (showcasing clarinet skills for the students by performing with and for them), and my favorite teachers were ultimately a good friend as well, because I really believe that they supported my studies wholeheartedly.
Michelle Anderson - www.clarinetmentors.com
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